Main/Principal

PBIS is a framework rooted in evidence based practices to increase behavioral and academic outcomes by improving school climate, preventing problem behavior, increasing learning time, promoting positive social skills, and delivering effective behavioral interventions and supports. PBIS supports the entire school and is being implemented across the territory.

PBIS Overview

What is PBIS?

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) when applied at the Schoolwide level is frequently called: SWPBS or SW-PBIS; SW-PBIS refers to a systems change process for an entire school or district. The underlying theme is teaching behavioral expectations in the same manner as any core curriculum subject. Furthermore it is a three-tiered model:

Tier 1 support is significant- in that it -moves the structural framework of each educational unit from reactive approaches to proactive systems change performance. This effort cohesively unites all the adults in using 1) common language, 2) common practices, and 3) consistent application of positive and negative reinforcement. There are many caveats to the training, planning, and implementation of PBIS. Just a few of the features are listed below:

Behavioral Expectations

Labeling Appropriate Behaviors and Actions

Teaching Appropriate Behavioral Actions

Observing and praising Appropriate Behaviors

Tier 2 is focused on reducing the frequency and intensity of incidents of problem behaviors for students who are not responsive to primary intervention practices by providing more focused, intensive, and frequent small group-oriented responses in situations where problem behavior is likely.

Tier 3 focuses on reducing the intensity, frequency, and/or complexity of existing problem behaviors that are resistant to and/or unlikely to be addressed by primary and secondary prevention efforts by providing most individualized responses to situations where problem behavior is likely.

Each school in the district is implementing PBIS. Typically, a team of approximately five representative members of the school will attend a two or three day training provided by skilled trainers. This team will be comprised of administrators, counselors, paraprofessionals and regular and special education teachers. Schools will focus on three to five behavioral expectations that are positively stated and easy to remember. In other words, rather than telling students what not to do, the school will focus on the preferred behaviors. Here is an example from a school:

After the SW-PBS team determines the 3-5 behavioral expectations that suit the needs of their school, the expectations are brought to the faculty, staff and students. Consistency from class to class and adult to adult is very important for successful implementation of SW-PBS. The team will then create a matrix of what the behavioral expectations look like, sound like, and feel like in all the non-classroom areas. This matrix will have approximately three positively stated examples for each area. Here is an example:

Expectations are taught in each classroom. Lesson plans are available for teaching respect, responsibility etc.

Some schools choose to use several days at the beginning of the year to take the students around the school to stations, where the skills are taught in setting specific locations. For example, a bus may be brought to the school and the children will practice lining up, entering the bus, sitting on the bus, and exiting the bus using hula hoops to denote proper body space distance in lining up to enter the bus.

SW-PBIS also looks at the office discipline referral form. The team decides which problem behaviors are classroom managed and which are office managed. SW-PBIS focuses on developing enhanced classroom management strategies to set students up for success. Strategies include teaching and re-teaching expectations.

Schools analyze data from Power School and SWIS to monitor and graph academic achievement, attendance, and office discipline referral data. Office discipline referral data such as behavioral incidents per day, per month, time of day, specific behaviors, location and by specific student is examined. This allows schools to drill down information to create a precise problem statement in order to come up with strategies to resolve behavioral issues.

Furthermore, SW-PBIS recognizes positive behaviors through various modalities. Schools use reward systems, token economies and “gotcha being good” programs. Additionally teachers and staff are rewarded for using positive learning strategies.

As schools progress in PBIS implementation additional resources and strategies are developed to address more difficult situations.

The above activities are just a few of the steps SW-PBIS encompasses. For further information please visit: www.pbis.org

Using Consequences and Rewards

Consequences and Rewards

Should we use punishment?

Imagine driving on the road and you are going 15 miles over the speed limit. In front of you, you see a police car on the side of the road. Immediately your foot touches the breaks and you slow down. Once you passed the officer, you felt grateful that you didn't get pulled over. So you start driving more slowly…for about a couple minutes and then you start speeding up again.

Okay, now imagine the same situation, but this time you get pulled over and you get a ticket. You get a little upset that you got a ticket, but there is nothing you can do, so you put it in your glove compartment. This time you really do slow down…for a few minutes, maybe even a few days. But do you ever truly stop driving over the speed limit?

What does this scenario tell you about punishment? Punishment stops unwanted behavior, but only for a short period of time, typically when the punisher is present. Punishment does not teach new behavior or provide intrinsic motivation to change one’s behavior.

As parents, administrators, teachers, counselors, paraprofessionals and school staff members, it is our job to shift focus from a punishment driven model to a model that emphasizes what students are doing right. We are working to spend less time on punishment and more time on what students can do to be successful. With that being said, we must first understand the principles of behavior.

Understanding Principles of Behavior

Behaviorists did not invent positive reinforcement. They systematized and named it. Positive reinforcement is a naturally occurring process that wise teachers understand and learn how to use to promote effective management of groups and individual students (Schuermann & Hall, 2008). Behavior is strengthened or weakened by its consequences. Teachers can often accidentally reinforce the very same behaviors that disrupt the class by paying attention to them or giving the student a desired outcome (getting out of test etc.).

Once teachers develop their rules and procedures they must take action either to recognize or to correct student behavior. Such actions are referred to as consequences and rewards. Effective consequences preserve the student’s dignity and increase his or her motivation to behave appropriately.

PBIS Team/Equipo

Darian Torrice-Hairston

Darian Torrice-Hairston: Territorial Director, PBIS

Good Day! My name is Darian Torrice-Hairston. I am very excited to be a part of the Department of Education and the PBIS team! I have a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Coastal Carolina University. I am currently working on completing my advanced independent license for social work practice. I have worked in mental health for the past several years as a youth, adolescent and family therapist. Additionally, I have worked as an independent contractor with foster children providing diagnostic assessments to improve levels of therapeutic care. I specialize in trauma-focused therapy, behavioral interventions, parenting strategies and in working with at-risk teens on sexuality education. Furthermore, I have experience as a Boys & Girls Club Unit Director; I enjoy working and volunteering in the community.

I believe employing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports is effective in changing the climate of a school. The PBIS framework helps to improve behavioral and academic success by cultivating school climate, preventing problem behavior, increasing learning time and encouraging positive social skills. For me, teaching through positive behavior interventions means focusing on what children, and adults, do right, rather than wrong; it utilizes compassion, understating and effective interventions to foster a safe and supportive environment as well as creates a school-wide culture of respect and caring. The evidence-based practices utilized in developing PBIS provide a strong foundation for student and teacher success. My husband and I apply PBIS strategies at home with our son and value the success of the interventions and positive focused learning.

Strategies I find most helpful include: genuinely and consistently praising appropriate behaviors to increase their likelihood of occurring, focusing on problem prevention rather than reacting to problem behaviors once they occur and creating an environment centered on positive interactions and clear expectations.

darian.torrice@vide.vi

Tawana Thomas

TawanaThomas:PBIS Program Assistant

Hello Everyone! My name is Tawana Thomas. I feel honored to be a part of the PBIS team, serving as the Program Assistant. My ultimate mission is to continue to expand my knowledge and expertise for the advancement of PBIS. I hold PBIS near and dear to my heart because I strongly believe this program has the capability to promote change and create a permanent positive climate within the schools and the community.

Although I am a native born Virgin Islander, I grew up in the state of Rhode Island. Having experience living in two completely different cultures, I realize we all share one thing in common, we all hope and long for a positive change within society. With the realization of such, I decided to further my education and obtain Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I have a strong passion to understand and explain how people think, act and feel. I will continue to strive to learn more about the many factors that can impact thoughts and behaviors, ranging from biological influences to social pressures.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the PBIS program because it aligns with my purpose in life; being a vessel to help promote positive change within different schools, communities, and societies.

Shanah-Nequai Rieara

Shanah-Nequai Rieara:PBIS District Coach, STTJ

"The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changedwithout changing our thinking." ~Albert Einstein

Shanah-Nequai Rieara was born in America’s Paradise; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Although she left at the young age of seven, she has always found her way back home in paradise on school breaks, which is why there was no surprise when she moved back home after college. Rieara is a recent graduate of Old Dominion University; located in Norfolk, Virginia. She achieved a Bachelor of Science in Human Services. She plans to continue her education and receive her Master’s in Public Administration. She yearns to make a difference in communities by providing resources for basic needs to families, and she hopes to inspire others to want to make a difference too. She completed 450 hours of internship experience with The Focus Center (TFC) located in Norfolk, Virginia, serving impoverished school-aged children, grades Pre-K through 5th. In addition, she completed 100 hours of volunteering at For Kids, Inc., located in Norfolk, Virginia, within the departments of The Emergency Housing Crisis Hotline and Hot Meals & Homework. Additionally, Rieara has experience in creating anti-bullying groups for 4th and 5th grade girls that empowered and taught young ladies positive self-awareness, as well as how to build their self-esteem. She is continuously searching for opportunities that create growth and she strongly believes in giving back to the community.

Why I love PBIS?"I believe implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports is necessary and very effective in improving school climates through evidence-based practices. The PBIS Framework focuses on preventing problem behavior, developing and encouraging pro-social skills, and increasing classroom instructional time. I love that PBIS is all about finding solutions rather than fixating on the problems. It is important to constantly encourage our students to make the right choices, and to focus on what they do right, rather than what they do wrong. PBIS is a prevention, not a punishment!"

As the PBIS Program Assistant, Rieara will be assisting the PBIS Territorial Director as well as the PBIS District Coaches in implementing the PBIS framework within several schools including: Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, Charlotte Amalie High School, and Edith Williams Alternative School.

Rieara’s favorite strategy to encourage positive behavior is providing behavior specific praises to students when they display a desired behavior. It is very important to consistently praise students and to let them know what they are doing right. Instead of telling a student, “Good Job”, it is more effective to say “Good Job Johnny, I appreciate that you are sitting in your seat quietly” or “Thank you for raising your hand Johnny”. Students need to know why you are praising them. You have to teach them the behavior by genuinely and consistently praising them, so that they will be more likely to continue the positive behavior.

Be fair, be consistent, be sincere and be specific. Use positive/proactive language, be patient, remain calm and use routines.

Rewards, or using reinforcement, are one of the most consistent ways to change behavior and build desired responses. When a tangible reward is paired with a social reward, the positive feeling of success gets paired with both the verbal praise, and the person giving the reward. This helps to build the desired behavior, and also often improves the relationship with the parent or teacher using the reward.

Erick Willie

Erick Willie, PBIS District Coach, STX

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”-Bob Marley

My name is Erick Willie. I am very pleased to serve as a PBIS District Coach for the island of St. Croix. Born and raised on St. Croix, I began my academic journey at the Claude O. Markoe Elementary School, then later moved on to the Arthur A. Richards Jr. High School, and final the St. Croix Educational Complex High School where I graduated in 2009. In my quest to live the creed of life-long learning, I continued my studies at the University of the Virgin Islands where I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership. In 2014, I joined the Department of Education as a Band Director assigned to the Arthur A. Richards Jr. High School. While at Arthur A. Richards Jr. High School, I had the pleasure of working with several standing committees: School Improvement, School Accreditation, Crisis Management, and PBIS. My involvement in these vital committees has helped to improve the climate and culture of the Arthur A. Richards Jr. High School.

I believe that all students should have an opportunity to learn in a safe and orderly environment. I love PBIS because it provides a positive focus for encouraging desirable student behaviors. Students can display desirable behaviors once behavior expectations are taught and valued by all stakeholders. GO PBIS!!

Zuri Baker

Greetings to all, my name is Zuri Baker and I am excited to be one of St. Croix’s PBIS Coaches. I am an energetic, joyful young woman who gives all praise and thanks to God my almighty father. Without his mercy and blessings I would not be able to spread my knowledge, joy and passion for this new journey I am embarking on.

My goal as a PBIS coach is to bring positive change to the students of our territory by assisting administrators in improving school culture and climate. PBIS promotes core values such as respect, responsibility, and safety; all of which help shape well rounded youth in our community. As a PBIS coach I strive to help students gain a sense of self-motivation through the teaching of these core values to increase high academic achievement and positive social interaction.

I have background knowledge as a classroom teacher, I understand the challenges schools face when it comes to the correlation of negative behavior and poor academic achievement on a schoolwide level. Through PBIS I will help turn that around so that all schools, territory wide, experience high academic achievement and positive social behavior.

~~~~~~~~Virgin Islands Nice~~~~~~~~~

Family/Familia

As a Parent/Family Member, How Does PBIS Apply to Me?

As a parent/family member, how does PBIS apply to me?

Research shows that parent involvement is considered to be the key factor in academic achievement and the emotional functioning of children (National Education Service, 2000).

Define appropriate behaviors that are expected in school and at home. Use the blank matrix and set expectations at home.

Talk with your children, no matter how old, about what you would like to see from them and praise them when they do it (tell them you like how they are behaving); “Catch your children being good.” You can improve behavior by 80% just by pointing out what someone is doing well.

Set positive examples and model the behavior that you want to see. Think about it like this: if we tell our children not to yell when they get angry, but we yell when we are angry, how can they learn anything different? We have to practice showing our children the behaviors we want to see.

Work on “relaxation strategies” with your children:

counting to 10 when they are about to get mad, giving time to think

taking long deep breaths in and out when frustrated

walking away from escalating situations

telling a bad thought “no!’’ and immediately replacing it with a good thought

asking themselves “is what I am doing helpful or hurtful?”

Ask your school’s PBIS team for a PBIS presentation at a PTA meeting! Learn strategies to use at home and find support! Come to PTA meetings, volunteer at the school store, attend open houses, and correspond with your Panther’s teacher.

Strategies to Use at Home

Here is an example Home Matrix - you can make this your own at home with children and families of any age.

Here is a blank copy of an existing Home Matrix...

Tips

Tips for Discipline

Set clear rules about behavior and communication. For example, you could say, ‘We speak respectfully in our family. This means we don’t call people names’. Involving your child in discussions about rules means you can later remind her/him that she helped make the rules, and that she agreed to them.

Focus on your child’s behavior and how you feel about it. Avoid any comments about your child’s personality or character. Instead of saying, ‘You’re rude’, try something like, ‘I feel hurt when you speak like that to me’.

Set and use consequences, but try not to set too many. At times, it might be appropriate to use consequences for things like rudeness, swearing or name-calling.

Tips for communication

Stay calm. This is important if your child reacts with ‘attitude’ to a discussion. Stop, take a deep breath, and continue calmly with what you wanted to say.

Use humor. A shared laugh can break a stalemate, bring a new perspective or lighten the tone of a conversation. Being lighthearted can also help take the heat out of a situation – but avoid mocking, ridiculing or being sarcastic.

Ignore your child’s shrugs, raised eyes and bored looks if he’s generally behaving the way you’d like him to.

Sometimes teenagers are disrespectful without meaning to be rude. A useful response can be something like, ‘That comment came across as pretty offensive. Did you mean to behave rudely?’

Use descriptive praise with your teenager for positive communication. When you have a positive interaction, point this out to your child. This lets her/him know you’re aware of and value her opinions.

Tips for relationships

Be a role model. When you’re with your child, try to speak and act the way you want your child to speak and act towards you.

If there’s a lot of tension between you and your child, another adult you know and trust, such as an aunt, uncle or family friend, might be able to support your child through this period. Involving someone like this can be a great way to ease the strain.

Staff Shout Out

Chirstina O'Donnell - Joseph Sibilly Elementary School

Mrs. O’Donnell, a 6th grade teacher at Sibilly, created a reward program for her classes. She noticed that rewarding her students individually was a good step, however, so many of their behaviors were dependent on other students doing well in the class. To motivate students to motivate one another to do well, she created a way for the whole class to earn rewards as a team. There are numerous reward options on the bulletin board; when a student, or the class as a whole, does well, Mrs. O’Donnell lets the students add a “letter” to whichever reward they are working towards.

For example, if Johnny does particularly well today, Mrs. O’Donnell can choose to reward him; he would then get to choose a letter to add to the reward board. Johnny would choose where to put the letter.

If the entire class does well on something and earns a reward, they vote on which reward the letter goes towards.

Once a reward has all of its letters (i.e. TECHNOLOGY) the class earns that reward.

Mrs. O’Donnell reports that it is a great way for her students to act as a team and help each other do the right thing. Awesome job Mrs. O’Donnell, you are a PBIS teacher and it shows!

Ms. Webster - E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary School

Ms. Webster - E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary School

Ms. Webster decorated her door in support of positive behavioral interventions and improving school climate! Ms. Webster decorated her door as a creative, stand out way, to teach the school values and PBIS language at EBO. More and more students are learning how to be a Wise Owl, thanks to this beautiful door display! Wise Owls “HOOT”!

Jessica Sibilly - Jane E. Tuitt Primary School

Jessica Sibilly

Jane E. Tuitt's 1st grade teacher, Jessica Sibilly, created a "Chill Zone" in her classroom. The chill zone is a place for students to sit when they are feeling overwhelmed, impulsive or angry. Students can ask to use the zone when they feel they need time to calm down. The zone is equipt with drawing materials and positive behavior/social skill worksheets. Sibilly is a part of her school's PBIS Task Force Team. In her room, she has her "classroom matrix", crisis plan, and flowchart posted; she consistently uses PBIS language with all of her students. She is often heard saying things like "I love the way ______ is sitting quietly" and "you are showing JET behavior!" You are soaring to excellence Mrs. Sibilly!

Heather Saks - Jane E. Tuitt Primary School

Heather Saks

Mrs. Saks teaches Physical Education at Jane E. Tuitt Primary School. She has been an integral part of PBIS since day 1! As the PBIS team leader at JET, Mrs. Saks not only facilitates meetings and plans events, she seeks to inspire others to think and act positively. Mrs. Saks believes in the PBIS program and has seen it work with her students. When P.E. class is in session, Mrs. Saks can always be heard using her JET Behavior language; she loves moments when she can “catch students begin good’’ and reward them with a positive behavior ticket. Tickets are exchanged for stickers and can be spent at the school store each week. Mrs. Saks does an excellent job looking for and praising good behavior, rather than focusing on problem behavior.

For the last several months, during P.E., Mrs. Saks taught 4+ PBIS cheers, songs and dances to the students at JET! At last month's PBIS Roll Out Mrs. Saks and a group of cheerleaders led the school in those chants, it was awesome to sees the entire school singing about being respectful, responsible ans safe. They clapped, stomped, danced and chanted praise for their school's values. Mrs. Saks, you are soaring to success!

Mrs. Niles Johnson - Joseph Gomez Elementary School

Team Leader Mrs. Niles-Johnson, Joseph Gomez Elementary School

The loyalty she shows to the PBIS initiative as team leader for her school is remarkable. Mrs. Niles-Johnson is a reliable and hardworking first grade teacher, she kindly accepts all responsibilities with a smile on her face. Her hard work and dedication to the Mighty Lions does not go unnoticed! Let’s give Mrs. Niles-Johnson a Mighty Roar for her positive attitude towards our students and staff at JAGES.

Mrs. Timothy - Alexander Hendersen ES

Intermediate Counselor Mrs. Leana Timothy, AHES

Let's give a loud PBIS cheer for AHES's counselor Mrs. Timothy! She has taken the initiative to create a Tier 2 intervention space for the students at her school. Along with the private meeting area she has created intervention assignments for students to complete when they display inappropriate behavior. As you can see she has taken PBIS at her school to the next level and promotes it with pride! Tremendous job Mrs. Timothy keep the ball rolling!

JGES Task Force Team

Hurricane Shout-out to Ms. Anna Marie Gordon, Assistant Principal and PBIS Team Leader and the entire Juanita Gardine Elementary School PBIS Team. Their dedication to the students and staff is admirable. It is their goal to create an atmosphere for learning by setting clear expectations and directly teaching students about our expectations. They work together to provide a positive approach on handling any situation on all areas of the campus.

Thank you for providing the most interesting, supportive, collaborative and satisfying work and learning environment. Thank you for always having an uplifting attitude and for all of your encouragement. Couldn't do it without you!

Who gets bullied?

The National School Safety Center (NSSC) called bullying the most enduring and underrated problem in U.S. schools. (Beale, 2001)

Nearly 30 percent of students have reported being involved in bullying as either a perpetrator or a victim. (Cook, Williams, Guerra, & Kim, 2010; Nansel, et al., 2001; Swearer & Espelage, 2004)

Victims and perpetrators of bullying are more likely to skip and/or drop out of school. (Berthold & Hoover, 2000; Neary & Joseph, 1994)

Victims and perpetrators of bullying are more likely to suffer from underachievement and sub-potential performance in employment settings. (Carney & Merrell, 2001; NSSC, 1995).

Prevention Strategies

The Bully Circle - Who are you?

It is important to understand that bullying goes beyond the "bully" and the "bullied" - everyone plays a role. When we address bullying and bully prevention we need to target interventions for all those involved in the The Bullying Circle depicted below. If you witness someone being bullied what do you do? What does your child do? Taking steps to change how the bystanders react to bullying situations can decrease attention to the inappropriate behavior as well as help the victim find support and confidence.

Learn to recognize the warning signs involved in bullying; students could be bullied, bullying others, or witnessing bullying. Though warning signs could indicate other issues, parents should talk to their child if they display any sort of behavioral or emotional changes. Many times kids won’t ask for help.

WarningSigns a Child is Being Bullied:

Look for changes in the child. However, be aware that not all children who are bullied exhibit warning signs.

Unexplainable injuries

Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry

Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness

Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch

Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares

Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school

Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations

Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem

Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

WarningSigns a Child is Being a Bully:

Have friends who bully others

Are increasingly aggressive

Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently

Have unexplained extra money or new belongings

Blame others for their problems

Don’t accept responsibility for their actions

Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity

Get into physical or verbal fights

Territory Bully Prevention

As part of a national response to bullying the Government of the Virgin Islands Department of Education PBIS Division has developed a Bully Prevention Manual adapted from evidence-based models of prevention. This manual will be used to train schools on bully prevention techniques and curriculums. Each school's PBIS team has a Bully Prevention Coordinator who will help train the entire staff on Bully Prevention and manage a student lead Bully Prevention team. These teams will work to reduce and prevent instances of bullying in the school. You can download this manual from the "Forms" tab of this webpage.